Read This Before Trying TikTok's Viral 'Internal Shower' Drink
TikTok trends are nothing if not a mecca of ideas. Whether or not those ideas are actually good ones is debatable, though. This is evidenced by challenges that range from dumb to downright dangerous, like the 2021 "Blackout Challenge," which resulted in the injury and deaths of multiple kids because it encouraged people to "hold their breath or strangulate themselves until they passed out, promising a 'euphoric' feeling," reported NBC Miami.
Recently, the social media platform has seen the "internal shower" hashtag go viral, as many users are trying a particular cleanse recipe and reporting back on whether or not it "works." Similarly to TikTok's chia seed water trend, the cleanse is pretty simple, involving a glass of water, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds, which start out tiny but balloon in size once they sit in the liquid, per Delish. (Or, as TikToker @bluegrassandlashes explains, they become "the consistency of slimy frog eggs.")
Now that you have that delicious mental image, know that the purpose of this less-than-appetizing beverage is to move the bowels — something many people can get on board with, seeing as Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that roughly 4 million people in the U.S. deal with frequent constipation. Still, the million dollar question remains: Does the internal shower cleanse work? And is it good for you?
Is the 'internal shower' beverage healthy?
TikTok user @bluegrassandlashes reported back later that the internal shower cleanse "worked," as in it moved her bowels effectively. (Fortunately, she spared everyone visual proof.) The individual ingredients are harmless enough for most people. A dietician interviewed by Delish notes that lemon juice is "incredibly high" in vitamin C and chia seeds are loaded with soluble fiber, which softens your stool. And water, of course, is so good for you that you're supposed to drink about 10 glasses of it a day (more if you exercise or live in a hot climate) to prevent constipation, among other things, says the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. All in all, the beverage isn't likely to be dangerous for the average healthy adult.
However, anyone who deals with gastrointestinal or other medical conditions should consult a physician before proceeding with the internal shower hack, per Delish. Some people's constitutions are more sensitive than others. If you do decide to enjoy it, just be mindful of your bathroom situation: One of @bluegrassandlashes' followers tried it, calling it the "worst decision of my life because it hit me at work." That's unfortunate timing, for sure.